Inside Nathan Fielder’s Controversial Fake Singing Competition on ‘The Rehearsal’: How One Contestant Lost $10,000 and Feels Deceived

When Lana Love heard from her old performing arts school about casting for a new HBO singing competition, she was excited. As a New York-based singer-songwriter with previous experience on “The Voice,” she saw “Wings of Voice” as a great opportunity. The winner would get to perform with a Grammy-winning artist, but for Love, the real prize was the exposure from being on HBO.

Love made three trips to Los Angeles for auditions, spending her own money on flights and lodging. She joined a line of over a thousand hopeful singers, impressed the judges, and made it to the top 50. But just before her final audition, she uncovered a huge surprise: "Wings of Voice" wasn’t real.

The show turned out to be a stunt created by comedian Nathan Fielder, meant to illustrate social behavior in his series “The Rehearsal.” This season, Fielder explored how communication failures lead to airplane disasters. He thought that if aspiring singers could learn to give honest feedback, they might also improve their interactions with airline captains. The pilots and singers were unaware that the competition was fake.

“I didn’t sign up to be part of an experiment,” Love said. She spent about $5,500 on her trips and lost money from canceled vocal lessons because of her auditions.

In a Greenwich Village coffee shop, Love broke her nondisclosure agreement. She was not afraid of repercussions from HBO. “They don’t really have ground to stand on.”

Love was first contacted about “Wings of Voice” in summer 2024. After sending a short introduction video, she was told she was "hand selected" to audition. She later learned that Fielder had drawn many contestants from past “America’s Got Talent” applicants.

When she arrived in Hollywood, she was presented with a non-union contract to sign before entering the studio lot. She worried she hadn’t read it thoroughly enough, especially since many contestants were told they wouldn’t be compensated for their time. Love wanted to ensure her original music would remain her own, so she secured a written assurance from the production team.

Despite being in a competitive environment similar to “The Voice,” Love started to notice something was off. Contestants sang familiar tunes while being judged by airline pilots, an unusual but eye-opening experience. As she performed, she sensed the reality of the show was different than she had anticipated.

When she discovered the truth, she took it upon herself to inform her fellow contestants. “I didn’t want to ruin anyone’s dreams. I had to weigh my options.” Surprisingly, many still wanted to continue even after learning they were part of a joke.

After the show aired, many former contestants shared their feelings in a group chat. Some felt betrayed, while others rationalized it as still having a chance to showcase their talent. Love reflected on her experience, especially for the younger contestants who had traveled long distances for a chance to shine.

Ultimately, Love still performed on the show but was eliminated. Despite the deception, she found the humor in being cut from a competition that was never real. She confronted producers, who claimed there was no intent to hurt anyone.

Now, months later, Love describes her journey as “shocking” and “disappointing.” Yet, she is proud of standing up for artists’ rights during the contract negotiations. “We fought for what was right.”

On the premiere day of “The Rehearsal,” Love released a song, “Nathan Fielder,” with lyrics crafted from comments left on Fielder’s YouTube videos. She’s also working on a new single titled “Antidote,” reflecting on her experience, and plans to release a full album soon.

Despite the financial loss and feelings of betrayal, Love holds no resentment towards Fielder. “He might be showing us our flaws through humor,” she expressed.

Fielder’s work often blends manipulation and genuine exploration, blurring the lines of ethical entertainment. Love concluded with a poignant reminder: “People are not variables. They deserve respect.”

For expert insights on media ethics and the impact of reality TV on participants, you can refer to The American Psychological Association.

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Lana Love,Nathan Fielder,The Rehearsal